Gosnell Defense Can't Expect Support From Abortion Rights Groups

"Unfortunately, you do have rogue providers that prey on the most vulnerable of women," said Vicki Saporta, president and CEO of the National Abortion Federation, "and regardless of a woman's income level they deserve access to high quality care."

Both Saporta and Hogue noted that Pennsylvania already has strict abortion regulations, but that the regulations were not enforced, allowing Gosnell to run an illegal operation.

"The fact that he wasn't providing care later and wasn't ensuring fetal demise and not operating under any established standards of care and outside of the law is the problem in this case, and not indicative of the high quality care available across the country," Saporta said.

"Gosnell is an extreme outlier when it comes to medical practice or abiding by the law," she added, noting that both the NAF and Planned Parenthood, along with other pro-choice groups, have condemned Gosnell's practices.

"This is why we have to keep abortion practices available as medical procedures, so that they are safe and legal between a woman and her doctor," Hague said.